8th March 2024
Reflection from Travis
"I really needed that" is a phrase I have been hearing a lot recently. I heard it at the end of our Presence Night on Wednesday, at the end of services regarding something sung, spoken, prayed or enacted together. I have heard it after times of prayer, an encouragement received, a simple thank you or even just a good night's sleep!
It reminds me of the obvious yet often overlooked truth: we are human. We feel the impact of life's busyness, responsibilities and stresses. We are not immune to feeling tired, discouraged, anxious, disconnected or a little down sometimes. God knows this, and he cares for us.
Personally, I continue to be amazed at the ways God knows exactly what I need. When I allow space to connect with Him, He imparts refreshed strength, courage, peace, love and joy in his presence. I really need that, and I suspect you do too. May we each learn to increasingly rest in God's presence, learning to receive from him and to welcome His refreshing in our lives.
Above are some verses and quotes around the theme of God's Presence (we used these on Wednesday night). Take a moment to pause and flick through them, listening for God's voice. Maybe after reading one of them you will sense "I really needed to hear that today". May God bless you.
Upcoming preachers
As we continue our series through Matthew in the leadup to Easter, we are particularly excited for our sermons for the next three weeks - check out who's preaching soon!
Next Focus Meeting
Join us for our next Focus meeting on Sunday April 7, directly after the AM service. Our focus meetings bring the chance to celebrate, discuss and decide matters of importance to the life of our church. Our next one will have a particular focus on staffing into the remainder of the year.
We will be bringing a recommendation for Rachel’s maternity leave position (which we’ll share more about in the leadup) and an interim recommendation to resource into the healthy continuation of our ministry to youth while the search for our next youth pastor continues. We are currently advertising for the Position of Youth Pastor at NVBC, and if you know of anyone who might be suitable for the role please direct them to explore the role here.
If you are interested in becoming a Ministry Partner ahead of our upcoming Focus Meeting, now is a great time to! Chat to any of our elders or pastors, or send us an email to find out how.
Puzzle Competition
Next Sunday, 17th March
Do you love puzzles or being a little competitive?! After church next Sunday a speed puzzling competition will be held straight after the morning service. Head down to the lower hall, grab a tea or coffee some hot chips (provided) and find a partner to match your speed. Let's see who the real puzzling masters are! Puzzles provided. For any questions on the day see Grace Kay.
Flourish Dessert Night
13th April
A great chance for the women of NVBC to gather together, build community and be encouraged by personal testimonies of experiencing God's presence. Pop it in your diaries now and you can RVSP here.
Coming soon: Connect Weekend (Hosts Wanted)
26-28th April
Connect Weekend has a simple vision: to be present with one another over a meal, making new connections and deepening existing ones across our NVBC family. To facilitate that, we're hoping to have a whole lot of 'hosts' who are willing to open their homes (or set up a picnic rug at a park, or book a big table at a cafe) and host a meal for people at NVBC. If you're keen to be a host, or if you want to know more, please contact the office: church@nvbc.info.
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